Great article about the partnership between Romário and Bebeto

ASHOOR

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Staff member

Amazing read about the partnership between Romário and Bebeto. I am sure Bani will enjoy reading this....

Few personal takeaways:

-Brazil won the 1989 Copa America after 40 year drought, even beating a Maradona led Argentine team 2-0! All thanks to the new partnership of Bebeto and Romário. Yet in the following year at the WC, neither star played a significant role, mainly due to injuries. I admit , while I was already a fan of Brazil at the time, I wasn’t much into the game so do t remember the details. So this begs the question, what could be different if both of them played, along with Careca. Could Brazil have gone all the way?

-Related to the point above, it is unfortunate that Romário easily missed 2/3 WCs either to injuries or his outspoken personality. Some claim he was good enough even for 2002, though I am not sure he was needed. And in 1998, although Zagalo claims he wasn’t called due to injury, the truth is probably due to his clashes with the coach. Just imagine Romário playing with Ronaldo. We had all seen what they had done together the prior year in Copa America and the Confederation Cup.

-I didn’t know this, but Romário and Bebeto were 28 and 30 respectively when they won the WC in 1994, which is relatively old for your main superstars. Other than Pele being 29 in 1970, most other Brazilian strikers who won it were younger.

-Given his brash personality and extremely outspoken style, not to mention his physique and dribbling, I am more convinced now that Romário - not Pele or Ronaldo- is the closest comparison Brazil has to Maradona
 
Wow! What a great article. I knew most of that, but I had not heard about the drama between Bebeto's wife and brother and the kidnapping, though I had heard of Romario's father (rumoured to be instigated by Romario's brother but never proven). I also didn't know about Romario saying he didnt want to be on the same plane, but Romario once said that Bebeto and Careca should only be in the Brazilian squad to carry his suitcases for him. After the way the Spanish season ended months before USA94 started and with Romario ripping Bebeto apart via the media (Bebeto for not taking the penalty that could have won Deportivo their first ever title), I did not believe they could possibly play in the same team. They proved me wrong.

1990 was a weird world cup. Careca was the undisputed king of Brazilian strikers at the time but unfortunately, he never combined well with Romario nor Bebeto. Sebastao Lazaroni, the Brazilian coach had a dilemma. Does he start the game with his best striker (Careca), or does he start with his best striking combination (Romario and Bebeto)? The decision was practically made for him when Romario broke his leg playing for PSV in 1990 and was lucky to be even in the 1990 squad. However, it was a friendly against England that decided the striking partnership.

Bebeto (the reigning South American player of the year) and Careca started the game against England and it was considered the striking partnership that would be used a few months later at the world cup. Bebeto had one of his quietest ever matches for Brazil and was replaced by Muller with about 30 minutes remaining. Muller played at the 1986 World Cup alongside Careca, plus Muller and Careca had previously been team mates at Sao Paulo FC. Whilst Bebeto played one of his worst games for Brazil, Muller played one of his best. While Brazil lost 1-0 to England, the combination between Careca and Muller was on display and that was the combination that started Brazil's campaign at Italia90. Bebeto was a late substitute against Costa Rica at Italia90 (and injured himself at training later) and Romario started the game against Scotland (alongside Careca) but was totally ineffective. Just like the friendly against England, Muller came on as substitute and scored the winning goal for Brazil. Bebeto and Romario had an almost anonymous world cup and fans could be forgiven for not knowing they were even at Italia90. Thankfully, history has been kind to them both.

We don't know how the course of history would have changed had Bebeto played a better game against England in the friendly, and had Romario not broken his leg months before Italia90. I cannot see that Careca would have ever started from the bench as he was definitely their best striker at the time. For me, the interesting player is Muller. He was a classic example of being an amazing striker at club level and not rising to the occason when playing for his country. That 30 minutes against England was the best I ever saw him play for Brazil. It totally goes to show that you really need to take your chances with life. Bebeto, the reigning South American player of the year, had the opportunity and did not take it in the game against England. Muller had only 30 minutes to impress and he did, and started 3 of Brazil's 4 matches at Italia90, scoring 2 goals for them.
 
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